A NEWSPAPER extolling the virtues of news journalism, and sounding warnings of its demise, might seem like a turkey voting to cancel Christmas. A debate in the House of Lords last Friday, however, shows that this is a matter that should concern not only the dwindling numbers privileged enough still to earn a living from the news, but all who value democracy and civil society.
Baroness Stowell, moving a take-note debate on the Communications and Digital Committee’s report The Future of News (News, 13 December), suggested that a healthy news ecosystem was “critical for a healthy democracy”, because it “supports a shared understanding of basic facts and helps us to understand each other”. Its survival cannot be taken for granted, however: “The economics of mass-market journalism are worsening, trust is low, and a growing number of people actively avoid mainstream reporting,” she said. Local news, as has been argued in these pages (Comment, 7 March), has been hit particularly hard by a changing advertising market and readers’ moving online. Lord Knight was right in the debate last Friday to express alarm at the resulting proliferation of “news deserts”.
The solution is not to demand that readers make less use of their smartphones, although print reading has its advantages. There is a part for churches to play in protecting the news landscape as it evolves. As more local newspapers pursue clicks to generate advertising revenue (see Viewpoint, overleaf), it is heartening to see the rise of online news outlets, such as The Mill and London Centric, that charge modest subscriptions in return for in-depth reporting on stories that matter to local communities. Such journalism, which involves talking to real people, where they are, costs money, but its value far exceeds the small amount that its readers pay. Parishes have an opportunity to develop fruitful relationships with such outlets, as they have had for decades with newspapers and radio stations.
Government also has a part to play — in using investment and regulation to encourage news journalism to flourish. Technological advances will not slow down, which is why the committee calls for the development of an AI tool for access to reliable information. This would be “a really historic and strategic development to ensure a trusted source for the deployment of generative AI”, the Bishop of Oxford said. Another recommendation to be pursued is the improvement of media literacy, not least in schools. The 21st-century news environment may well be a “living miracle”, as Dr Croft told peers — but wise measures are needed to ensure that it is a blessing, not a curse.
